For those looking at Greece for a summer vacation, the choice almost always falls on the same three or four names: Mykonos, Santorini, Crete. Yet the country is not made up only of its most famous islands. Along the thousands of kilometers of its coasts and the inland places in August, with the heat, blinding light and village celebrations, there is room to discover also the mountain villages, the wild mainland peninsulas, and the lesser-known islands that lie at the margins of the busiest routes, where the sea is no less beautiful, but the crowds are much thinner.
Here are seven places, among lesser-known islands, authentic villages and annual events, to mark in your calendar or itinerary for your summer trip.
Paleokastritsa, the Clover-Shaped Bay of Corfu
On the northwestern coast of Corfu, about 25 kilometers from the city, lies one of the most spectacular, and still relatively undervalued, beaches in all of Greece: Paleokastritsa. It is not actually a single beach, but five nearby coves set among very green promontories, with waters that shift from turquoise to emerald.
The main bay, Agios Spiridonas, is ideal for snorkeling thanks to the calm waters, while the smaller inlets such as Agia Triada, Platakia or Ambelaki offer moments of quiet even in peak season. Overseeing it all is the Monastery of Theotokou, founded in 1225, which is reached by a pleasant 10- to 15-minute walk and hosts, among other things, an ancient wishing well.
Zakynthos and the Feast of Saint Dionysios
Renowned for its cliffs dropping to the sea and the famous shipwreck beach, Zakynthos in August, though particularly crowded, also reveals an unexpected soul deeply tied to its cultural and spiritual roots. On August 24, the island venerates its patron saint, Saint Dionysios. During the celebration, a solemn procession winds through the streets of the town center, accompanied by the festive sound of bells, traditional songs and the tunes of local bands.
Beyond the beaches, to fully live this period the advice is to pair the celebrations and the relaxation with an exploratory tour of the mainland: among centuries-old olive groves, hilltop villages and family-run taverns, you will rediscover the native and truest spirit of the Ionian archipelago even in high season.
Karpathos, the Secret Island of the Dodecanese
Nestled between Crete and Rhodes, Karpathos preserves a proud, visceral character, still distant from the major tourist flows of the Aegean. Its cultural heart beats in Olympos, a northern perched village where daily life follows old-world rhythms: here women still wear traditional embroidered dresses and a dialect of ancient origin is spoken.
The coastline offers a strong landscape contrast, alternating wind-swept cliffs loved by windsurfers with dramatic coves such as Apella, Kyra Panagia and the more secluded Kato Lakos and Ai-Giannis. In August the island comes alive during the panigiria, folk festivals where the music of the Dodecanese and traditional dishes bring villages and squares together. Moreover, reaching this corner of Greece is easy from Italy because from August 5, 2026 a direct Volotea flight from Verona will launch, operating every Wednesday, perfect for planning a summer escape between pristine seas and local culture.
Tinos and the Panagia Pilgrimage
If there is an island where the Greek Ferragosto reaches its peak, that is Tinos in the Cyclades. Every August 15 thousands of faithful undertake a pilgrimage, often on foot and on their knees, to the church of Panagia Evangelistria, which houses an icon considered miraculous: it is one of the most intense and evocative moments of religious Greece, comparable in importance to Lourdes or Fatima.
But Tinos is not only devotion: the island, less frequented than Mykonos and Santorini, despite being just a stone’s throw from both, shelters more than forty traditional villages, untouched beaches such as Kolymbithra and Agios Sostis, hiking trails through landscapes almost lunar, and a long tradition of marble sculptors that has earned it the title of “the island of artists.”
Pelion, the Mainland Peninsula Between Sea and Mountain
Anyone who thinks that to swim in Greece you must hop on a ferry has not yet discovered Pelion, the mountainous peninsula of Thessaly that juts into the Aegean Sea, just east of Volos. Here the scenery bears no resemblance to the postcard Cyclades: dense forests, centuries-old olive trees and stone villages perched on the hillside that dip toward wild beaches often reachable only on foot.
The most famous village is Damouchari, a small natural harbor that became famous for hosting some scenes of the film Mamma Mia!, but the entire eastern coast offers spectacular coves such as Fakistra, Mylopotamos (divided in two by a rock arch) or Papa Nero. For trekking enthusiasts, a ride on the steam train that once connected Volos to Milies is a must, as are walks between the villages of Makrinitsa and Tsagarada, with plazas shaded by centuries-old plane trees.
Agistri in the Saronic Gulf
You’ve probably never heard of the island of Agistri, with its mere 13 square kilometers. It is dominated by the resin scents of Aleppo pines that slope down to the shore, and you can easily drive along the single internal road connecting the harbor of Skala, dominated by the blue-domed church of Agioi Anargyroi, to the tranquil rural village of Limenaria.
The beaches offer a varied coastline and crystal-clear waters: from the sandy stretch ideal for families at Skala to the scenic bay of Chalikida nestled between rock faces, to the natural platform of Mariza. The most iconic spot remains Aponisos, a emerald lagoon connected to the mainland by a pier, perfect for languid beach days with dips and stops at classic fish taverns.
Zagorochoria, the Stone Villages of Epirus
We close our recommendations with a destination that shatters the stereotype “Greece equals the sea.” We propose Zagorochoria, a high-altitude plateau in Epirus, on the border with Albania, which gathers 46 stone villages tucked among the mountains of northern Pindus.
It is the coolest and greenest Greece one could imagine, perfect for a coolcation, so for those seeking relief from August heat without giving up Greek charm: stone houses with slate roofs, squares shaded by centuries-old plane trees and donkey-back bridges crossing clear mountain streams.
The heart of the area is the Vikos Gorge, the deepest canyon in the world relative to its width: it can be admired from the lookouts at Oxia, in Monodendri, or at Beloi, reachable by a short hike from the village of Vradeto.
